(1) ORGANIZATION. Seven or more residents of the same county may form a cemetery association. They shall meet, select a chairperson and secretary, choose a name, fix the annual meeting date, and elect by ballot not less than 3 nor more than 9 trustees whom the chairperson and secretary shall immediately divide by lot into 3 classes, who shall hold their offices for 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. Within 3 days, the chairperson and secretary shall certify the corporate name, the names, home addresses, and business addresses of the organizers and of the trustees, and their classification, and the annual meeting date acknowledged by them, and, except as provided in sub. (9), deliver the certification to the cemetery board. The association then has the powers of a corporation. (2) AMENDMENTS. The association may change its name, the number of trustees, or the annual meeting date by resolution at an annual meeting, or special meeting called for such purpose, by a majority vote of the members present, and, except as provided in sub. (9), by delivering to the cemetery board a copy of the resolution, with the date of adoption, certified by the president and secretary or corresponding officers. (3) VALIDATION. When there shall have been a bona fide attempt to organize a cemetery association, but a failure to record a properly drawn and executed certificate of organization, and it has in good faith bought and platted grounds and conveyed cemetery lots and carried on business for over 25 years, the same shall be a body corporate from the date of conveyance to it of real estate, and its transfers and other transactions are validated. (4) MEETINGS; ELECTIONS. (a) An annual election shall be held during the annual meeting. The annual meeting, and any special meeting described in sub. (2), shall be held at a place in the county chosen by the trustees upon public notice as required by the bylaws. Trustees chosen after the first election shall be proprietors of cemetery lots in the cemetery, residents of the state, and hold office for 3 years. Election shall be by ballot and a plurality shall elect. Each owner of one or more cemetery lots is entitled to one vote, and one of several owners of a cemetery lot, designated by the majority of them, shall cast the vote. (b) If the annual election is not held on the day fixed for the annual meeting, the trustees may appoint another day, not more than 60 days after the annual meeting, and give public notice of time and place, and if an election is not so held 5 members may apply to the judge of a court of record in the county for an order granting power to hold an election, by publishing in the county a class 2 notice, under ch. 985, of the application and the judge shall grant the application, and election shall then be held upon like notice. The terms of trustees expire on the date of the annual meeting in the year in which they are scheduled to expire, except that if no election is held at the annual meeting the terms expire on the date of the next election held under this paragraph. (5) TRUSTEES; DUTIES, REPORT. The trustees may fill vacancies for the unexpired term. One shall be chosen president, and they shall appoint a secretary and treasurer, and may require security of the treasurer. The trustees shall manage the affairs and property of the association and control and beautify the cemetery, and may establish regulations for those purposes. The trustees shall make and file written reports as required in s. 157.62 (1) and (2). (6) DISSOLUTION; REORGANIZATION. (a) The association is dissolved by failure to hold an annual election for 3 successive years. (b) If an association that has been dissolved under par. (a), or any group that was never properly organized as a cemetery association, has cemetery grounds and human remains are buried in the cemetery grounds, 5 or more members, or persons interested as determined by order of the circuit judge under par. (c), may publish a class 3 notice, under ch. 985, in the municipality in which the cemetery is located, of the time, place, and object of the meeting, assemble and reorganize by the election of trustees and divide them into classes as provided in sub. (1), the commencement of the terms to be computed from the next annual meeting date. The secretary shall enter the proceedings of the meeting on the records. The association is reorganized upon delivery of a copy of the proceedings to the cemetery board, except as provided in sub. (9). Upon reorganization, the title to the cemetery grounds, trust funds, and all other property of the association or group vests in the reorganized association, under the control of the trustees. The reorganized association may continue the name of the dissolved association or may adopt a new name. (c) If an association is dissolved under par. (a) or any group has never been properly organized as cemetery association, and there are fewer than 5 members living or residing in the county where the cemetery is located, the circuit judge for the county shall upon the petition of any person interested, make an order determining who are persons interested in the cemetery. Any adult person who owns an interest in any cemetery lot in the cemetery, who is related to any person buried in the cemetery, or who is a descendant, brother, sister, nephew, niece or surviving spouse of a member of the dissolved association, is an interested person. The circuit judge may make the order upon evidence he or she deems sufficient, with or without hearing. The order need not contain the names of all persons interested, but shall contain the names of at least 5 such persons. (6m) FORMS. The cemetery board may prescribe and furnish forms for providing the information required under subs. (1) to (6). (7) TAX FOR MAINTENANCE. When a cemetery association having control of a cemetery in a town, village or city of the third or fourth class has insufficient maintenance funds it may certify in writing to the clerk of such town, city or village the amount deemed necessary during the next ensuing year, the amount the association has therefor, and the deficiency, and the governing body of such town, city or village may levy and collect a tax therefor and pay the same to the association. If the cemetery is in more than one such municipality the deficiency shall be equitably distributed. If a cemetery located wholly within a town, village or city of the third or fourth class has also buried therein decedents from an adjoining municipality, the association having insufficient funds, the association may certify in writing to its municipal clerk and to the clerk of such other municipality, the amount deemed necessary for the ensuing year, the amount the association has therefor, the amount of the deficiency and the equitable amount that each municipality should contribute; whereupon the governing body of each such municipality may levy and collect a tax therefor and pay the same to the association. (8) LIMITED LIABILITY OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS. (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) to (d), a trustee or officer of a cemetery association organized under this section is not liable to the association, its members or creditors, or any person asserting rights on behalf of the association, its members or creditors, or any other person, for damages, settlements, fees, fines, penalties or other monetary liabilities arising from a breach of, or failure to perform, any duty resulting solely from his or her status as a trustee or officer, unless the person asserting liability proves that the breach or failure to perform constitutes any of the following: 1. A willful failure to deal fairly with the association or its members in connection with a matter in which the trustee or officer has a material conflict of interest. 2. A violation of criminal law, unless the trustee or officer had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was lawful or no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. 3. A transaction from which the trustee or officer derived an improper personal profit. 4. Willful misconduct. (b) Except as provided in par. (c), this subsection does not apply to any of the following: 1. A civil or criminal proceeding brought by or on behalf of any governmental unit, authority or agency. 2. A proceeding brought by any person for a violation of state or federal law where the proceeding is brought pursuant to an express private right of action created by state or federal statute. 3. The liability of a trustee or officer arising from a breach of, or failure to perform, any duty relating to the receipt, handling, investment or other use of care funds or any other funds made in trust. 4. The liability of a trustee or officer for violating s. 157.12. (c) Paragraph (b) 1. and 2. does not apply to a proceeding brought by a governmental unit, authority or agency in its capacity as a private party or contractor. (d) This subsection does not apply to a cemetery association organized under this section if any part of the association’s income is distributable among its members, trustees or officers. (9) EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTAIN CEMETERIES. In lieu of delivering a certification, resolution, or copy of proceedings to the cemetery board under sub. (1), (2), or (6) (b), a cemetery association that is not required to be licensed under s. 440.91 (1) or registered under s. 440.91 (1m) shall deliver the certification, resolution, or copy of proceedings to the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the cemetery is located.
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